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Wind Power is Local Economic Development
Wind power projects are helping revitalize rural, windy counties across the United States. From Minnesota to Texas and Maine to Tennessee, counties are learning about the jobs, increased tax revenue, and landowner revenue stream that these projects offer. In addition to the direct impacts of wind energy projects, indirect impacts include growing a supply chain and support chain that provides services to this fast growing industry.
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| Landowner Lease Payments
- Often, wind developers prefer to lease the land the turbines are placed on from a land owner. These lease amounts can range from $5,000 - $7,000 / MW of installed wind capacity on the landowners land
- WInd turbines only take up 2% of the required amount of land leased. This is to ensure that wind turbines are properly spaced, therefore reduced turbulence from other turbiens. The land that is not used by the turbine is often available for alternative use. For instance, in the Iowa, it is very common to see rows of corn planted around a wind turbine.
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Wind Power is Local Jobs
When wind projects are being built, they offer two types of jobs. The first type of job is a construction job, and the second is a operation job. Construction jobs typically are during the first 1-2 months of construction, while operational jobs last for the duration of the project, well over 20 years. The National Renewable Energy Lab uses a Job and Economic Development Impact model to describe the impacts of wind energy installation in states. For the DOE 20% Wind Vision, this model was produced for the state of Tennessee based on how much wind energy the state may contribute to the overall vision. This figure is not the maximum amount of wind in the state, but is a feasible amount of wind energy for the state of Tennessee to install. The state of Tennessee stands to gain over $1.3 billion in economic development, with over 500 local, long term jobs put in place as a result of this vision.
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| Economic Impacts from NREL JEDI model |
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Wind Power is Manufacturing Jobs
In a time of economic depression and a weakening dollar, the need for growth in domestic manufacturing and domestic jobs is at an all time high. The wind industry, traditionally located in Europe, has began to move its manufacturing locations near its largest markets in order to reduce the price of transportation. According to a report released by the United Steel Workers and Sierra Club, the state of Tennessee stands to benefit from the growth of this green industry. This is because Tennessee's quality of life, access to rail, road, and river, cost of living, and skilled labor force make the state very attractive for locating industry manufacturing. Already, the state is home to several companies, such as Aerisyn, Thomas and Betts, Signal Wind, Tennessee Wind Industrial Group, Enernex Corporation, Barnhart Crane and Rigging, Flash Technologies, General Electric Wind Energy, and several others who are benefiting from the growth of the wind industry. The wind industry is an incredible opportunity for the state of Tennessee to increase its manufacturing base, grow its state economic base, and offer good paying, high quality jobs to its citizens all while helping the United States become a greener country.
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| Click to Download Blue Green Alliance Report |
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